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Dakota Account of the Red Pipe Stone

 The Dakota tribes hold a tradition of the origin of the red pipe Stone. as follows.  They say that a great many years ago. way back in the early days. on the spot where they dig the

stone they were once attacked by thousands and thousands of their enemies the Ojibway (Chippewa) indians living to the north. and that a most desperate fight was he result it was very sanguinary and all the Ojibway were killed. Their blood coagulated and hardened and there were so many killed the hardened blood forms the present stratum of rock. This is why the stone is sacred to them as it is the blood of their enemies.

 One old Indian told Mr. George Cattin taking a piece of the stone and comparing its color with that of his arm that the stone was the hardened flesh of the indian hence it was sacred.   The Dakotas who dominate the pipe stone region. became very much exasperated because a trader made from the pipe stone a "dish." to eat from.   They hold that if the stone is used for any other purpose than to make pipes it is desecrated. and it is bad medecine to the tribe.'
  The dances of the Dakota tribes are now fewer than they were at the opening of  this century. and it would seem that they do not [?] like the Ojibway the regular [?] ceremonial dances that descend from generation to generation.   the ceremonial [?] through in olden times in the act of imitating a brave. and the "Sun Dance" have both practically fallen into disuse.   In their place the "Ghost Dance." a modern invention that was resorted to in 1890 at Pine Ridge S. Dakota to arouse the anger and hatred of the indians against the whites and led to an outbreak. in which many were killed.   The "Sun dance" is one which is not uncommon in a very harmless and dwarfed condition    In former times the dance consisted in. the formation of a large lodge. in the center of which was an opening and suspended from the roof was the "effigi" of the "Sun God."   in the middle of the lodge was a ring roped off.  A council having met the number of days the dance should last was determined..and the dance opened. by the placing of the musicians (drummers) at one side.  the drumming and chant commenced and from the assembled crowd one and another indian stepped into the ring and began to dance.